The Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen has used his Easter message to tell Australians they can't get away from Jesus, who he says is "back in the spotlight'.
Dr Jensen says that in recent decades, Jesus has been ignored.
"He's always been an intriguing person, for some decades now people have tried to "get away' from him," he says.
"They've tried to have nothing to do with him."
However, with the success of Dan Brown's controversial book, The Da Vinci Code and the recent debates about the so-called "gospel of Judas', Jesus Christ's life and claims are again on the agenda.
Dr Jensen says that "Jesus is a really interesting person, he's always been."
"He's such an important person" and people are remembering again how important he is."
In his traditional Easter message, Dr Jensen reminds Australians that he died for the sins of the whole human race upon the cross and was resurrected from the dead, therefore giving humanity "a great future with God'.
Dr Jensen calls the Easter long weekend the "most precious weekend of the year' as it "brings before us a question that puzzles a lot of people. Is there life after death? This is the essential question after all'.
Anglican Media Sydney filmed Dr Jensen's message, at his Sydney residence, Bishopscourt.
It has been sent to television and radio broadcasters and the two-and-a-half minute address is suitable for broadcast in church services as a sermon supplement.
Read the full text of the Archbishop’s Easter message, view the television version as a
QuickTime file (4.4 mb) or a Windows Media Player (4.6 mb), or download the Easter message as an MP3 file (300 kb).
By Anna Vaughn
